Stanley Duke and the Kindred Spirits – Isolation Tarot (2021)
Stanley Duke and the Kindred Spirits are bringing his enigmatic presence and glam-rock sensibilities to your ears with the enthralling tones of Isolation Tarot. While initially inspired by a psychic reading, the EP unfolds into an opera of love, despair, joy and celebrations. Drawing out the emotions that we have all faced in the past year, they turn them into a melting pot of feverish fun and dreamy flows.
As a debut EP, the collection is a swirling cosmic crash landing into Duke’s sound. Not only does the EP draw on tarot cards, but there is also a personal touch through the influence the pandemic has had on creativity. A rather wild ride through the dips and curves of emotions, the EP balance over-the-top sounds with sparkling glam-rock aesthetics.
The EP opens with the fun grooves of ‘Hanged Man’. The synth tones that open the track have a delightful psychedelic edge to them that only strengthens as the song progresses. These tones are merged with a vocal line that lightly dances across your senses like a feather running along your skin. The beats have a deep groove to them that has your head bopping to them before the guitar powers through and pulls you with it. There is a lot of fun to be had listening to this song and it is a wonderful way to start the EP. The arrangement of the track is amazing and keeps you so engaged.
‘Temperance’ takes a much different route with an eerie synth line and an almost gothic feeling. These vibes have been woven into a rather funky pulse in the lower levels. There is a slightly wobbly feeling to the music at times that just enhances the whispered vocals. The layering of the vocals adds an interesting depth to the song like you are seeing echoes of sound. While the track retains some of the psychedelia from the opening song, it hits very differently.
The rock vibes of Duke’s music is on full display with ‘King of Pentacles’. You are blasted with an infectious guitar line that has a slightly retro glam-rock feeling to it. This washes over a solid foundation of garage rock that gets your foot tapping to the beats. The chorus is really wonderful and you can easily find yourself singing out to the King of Pentacles. Throughout the song, there is this wonderful forward momentum that has you shivering with the knowledge laced into the lyrics.
‘The Lovers’ has a very dreamy feeling to it that starts with you feeling like you are hearing the music while underwater. The warbling tones of the opening melody give way to a really tranquil and peaceful flow. You can easily sink back into the floating feeling of the music in this track. The vocals have a hazy dreaminess to them that has you on clouds before dropping you when the heavier guitars come through. There is a really great rise and fall to the track as you float, drop then ride the raindrops again.
The EP comes to a close with the aptly titled track ‘Death’. There is a really intimate feeling to the opening of the track that brings a wet earthiness to the song. The vocals add to this feeling with their controlled delivery. The drums do take over for a pulsing tone that completely changes the feeling of the single. This is a song that really captures the feeling of glam rock and mixes it with some infectious indie-rock tones.
Stanley Duke and the Kindred Spirits fills you with all the splendour of glam rock while delving into emotions in Isolation Tarot. The five tracks of the EP are all wonderfully different keeping you engaging and showcasing their musical prowess. From eery synths to toe-tapping beats and tranquil floating, there is something for everyone with a delightful psychedelic twist.
Find out more about Stanley Duke and the Kindred Spirits on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
